Application Guide
How to Apply for Senior Legal Counsel
at Workiva
🏢 About Workiva
Workiva is a unique company at the intersection of technology and ESG (Environmental, Social, and Governance) reporting, specifically focused on streamlining integrated ESG reporting for transparent climate impact and compliance. Unlike traditional legal tech companies, Workiva operates in the rapidly growing ESG compliance space, offering cloud-based solutions that help organizations manage complex reporting requirements. This makes it an attractive workplace for legal professionals interested in cutting-edge technology, sustainability, and regulatory compliance.
About This Role
As Senior Legal Counsel at Workiva, you will be responsible for drafting, negotiating, and managing a broad range of complex commercial agreements, with a strong emphasis on B2B SaaS transactions, strategic partnerships, and AI-related addendums. This role is impactful because you'll directly support Workiva's mission by ensuring legal compliance in high-stakes deals, advising on data privacy and AI considerations, and enhancing legal operations to scale with the company's growth in the ESG reporting market.
💡 A Day in the Life
A typical day might involve drafting and negotiating a SaaS subscription contract for a new ESG reporting client, advising internal teams on data privacy considerations for a cloud-based agreement, and collaborating with stakeholders to streamline contracting processes. You could also spend time reviewing AI addendums for strategic partnerships or enhancing legal operations systems to support Workiva's growth in the compliance market.
🚀 Application Tools
🎯 Who Workiva Is Looking For
- A licensed attorney with 8+ years of commercial legal experience, specifically in B2B SaaS transactions, who can independently lead end-to-end negotiations for high-impact deals.
- Someone with a deep understanding of software, SaaS, or cloud technology providers, and familiarity with public sector contracting (Federal, SLED, or GSA), which is a key requirement for this role.
- A professional who can balance legal risk with strategic business goals, particularly in areas like data protection, AI considerations, and IP ownership in cloud-based agreements.
- An individual experienced in improving legal operations, contracting workflows, and systems to drive efficiency and scalability in a fast-paced tech environment.
📝 Tips for Applying to Workiva
Tailor your resume to highlight specific experience with B2B SaaS transactions, public sector contracting (Federal, SLED, or GSA), and AI-related legal work, as these are explicit requirements.
Research Workiva's ESG reporting platform and mention how your legal expertise aligns with their mission of streamlining climate impact and compliance in your cover letter.
Provide concrete examples of complex commercial agreements you've drafted or negotiated, especially SaaS subscription contracts, data protection agreements, or AI addendums.
Emphasize any experience with legal operations improvements, such as enhancing contracting workflows or systems, as this is a key part of the job description.
If you have background in cloud technology or software providers, detail how this knowledge applies to advising on issues like information security, IP ownership, and revenue recognition.
✉️ What to Emphasize in Your Cover Letter
["Highlight your 8+ years of commercial legal experience, specifically in B2B SaaS transactions and public sector contracting, to directly address the role's requirements.", 'Explain how your background in software, SaaS, or cloud technology providers prepares you to advise on key legal issues like data privacy, AI considerations, and IP ownership.', 'Discuss your ability to balance legal risk with strategic business goals, using examples from past negotiations of high-impact deals.', "Connect your interest in legal operations improvements to Workiva's need for scalable contracting workflows and systems in a growing ESG-focused company."]
Generate Cover Letter →🔍 Research Before Applying
To stand out, make sure you've researched:
- → Explore Workiva's ESG reporting platform and services to understand how their technology integrates with legal compliance and climate impact reporting.
- → Review Workiva's recent news, press releases, or case studies to identify their key clients, partnerships, or expansions in the public sector (Federal, SLED, or GSA).
- → Investigate the regulatory landscape for ESG reporting and compliance, as this is central to Workiva's mission and may impact legal agreements.
- → Look into Workiva's company culture, values, and any public statements about their focus on technology, sustainability, or legal innovation.
💬 Prepare for These Interview Topics
Based on this role, you may be asked about:
⚠️ Common Mistakes to Avoid
- Submitting a generic application without tailoring your experience to B2B SaaS transactions, public sector contracting, or AI-related legal work, as these are critical requirements.
- Failing to demonstrate how your legal expertise aligns with Workiva's ESG focus, such as by not mentioning climate impact, compliance, or technology in your materials.
- Overlooking the operational aspect of the role, such as not providing examples of improving contracting workflows or systems, which is a key responsibility.
📅 Application Timeline
This position is open until filled. However, we recommend applying as soon as possible as roles at mission-driven organizations tend to fill quickly.
Typical hiring timeline:
Application Review
1-2 weeks
Initial Screening
Phone call or written assessment
Interviews
1-2 rounds, usually virtual
Offer
Congratulations!